Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday demanded an unconditional apology from BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao over alleged derogatory remarks against Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.
Addressing the Telangana Legislative Assembly, Revanth said KCR should apologise to the people of Telangana. He also demanded that the BRS immediately dismiss MLC Tata Madhu over his alleged remarks against the Speaker.
The Chief Minister said such an insult to the Speaker had never occurred anywhere or at any time. He maintained that objectionable language against the Speaker also undermined the dignity of the Chair.
Revanth said the BRS should either ask Tata Madhu to resign or remove him from the party. Moreover, he alleged that BRS leaders were making indiscriminate statements because they believed KCR supported their utterances.
KCR apology demand dominates Assembly discussion
Revanth said the government was prepared to discuss every issue raised by legislators. He added that this included matters brought before the House by BJP members. However, the Chief Minister questioned the BJP over its silence on the alleged remarks against the Speaker.
Revanth said the Speaker had the responsibility of protecting the rights of every member. Therefore, he argued that insulting the Speaker amounted to undermining the dignity of the Chair.
“If the Speaker is addressed in such an insulting manner, what issue could be more important for discussion in this House?” Revanth asked.
He said the controversy directly concerned the dignity and honour of the Speaker’s Chair. The KCR apology demand followed his claim that the alleged remarks had insulted Telangana’s four crore people.
Revanth also alleged that KCR had provoked Tata Madhu to make the statements. He strongly condemned the language allegedly used against the Speaker and called it unacceptable in a civilised society.
KCR apology demand followed by Dalit welfare attack
The Chief Minister also targeted KCR over his record on Dalit welfare. He accused the former Chief Minister of failing to fulfil promises made after Telangana’s formation.
Revanth recalled KCR’s promise to make a Dalit the Chief Minister after the State was formed. He also referred to the promise to allot three acres of land to Dalit families. Furthermore, Revanth alleged that KCR had removed a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister from his Cabinet.
The Chief Minister called on all political parties to condemn the alleged remarks unanimously. He urged legislators to set aside political considerations while addressing the issue.
Revanth also alleged that the BRS could not accept a Dalit holding the Speaker’s post. He said the Assembly needed to respond to what he described as the party’s “anti-Dalit mindset.” According to the Chief Minister, future generations would not forgive the Assembly if it failed to correct that alleged mindset.
The KCR apology demand formed part of Revanth’s call for both political and disciplinary action over the controversy. He maintained that protecting the Speaker’s dignity required a response cutting across party lines.